Kindle users can now check out Newport Beach Library ebooks

Patrons can download books right to their digital devices for up to two weeks with no late fees.

September 29, 2011|By Britney Barnes

Newport Beach Kindle users can now borrow about 1,000 different titles from the library from the comfort of their homes.

The Newport Beach Public Library last week added Amazon Kindle-compatible ebooks to its digital shelves.

Patrons can now download books straight to their Kindle, or any mobile device running the Kindle app, for up to two weeks, said Genesis Hansen, library reference and web services coordinator.

After the time period, which the user can select, the books become unreadable, she said.

"There's no late fees," she said. "It's great."

The option comes just in time for the announcement of Amazon's newest product — the Kindle Fire, a full-color tablet that lets users not just read books, but browse the web, stream movies and T.V. shows and play games.

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The addition to the library's ebooks selection is in response to its growing demand, Hansen said.

The library has offered other ebooks, compatible with other readers, computers, MP3 players, smart phones, iPods and iPads, for years, and Hansen said she has seen interest grow.

"They're very popular, and their use has been going up and up every year," she said.

Hansen said many in the community already have Kindles and expect to see Kindle-compatible ebooks increase use of the e-readers.

The library's Kindle-compatible ebook selection is also growing, as more money is being put toward it, Hansen said.

The library partners with the Southern California Digital Library to pool money to buy more titles and share the access, she said.